Whether you need to cover a kitchen backsplash, redo the floor in your powder room, or pick finishes and materials for an entire house, tile is a big part of many remodeling projects. But walk into a tile showroom or home improvement store, and you may be overwhelmed with options. Cement or porcelain? White or off-white subway tiles? Glass tiles etched and painted with songbirds or a marble mosaic that looks straight out of Pompeii?

Most of us have made unwise furniture purchases that a bit of planning would have prevented. Before shopping, evaluate your budget, how you’ll use the furniture, how it fits in with your other furniture and tastes, and other considerations.

When it comes to decking out your windows, you’ll find so many choices, optional features, and price ranges that it’s easy to get blindsided by the process. Here’s our advice on how to buy the right stuff.

Plantation shutters. Roman shades. Curtains. There are so many ways to cover your windows that it’s tempting to just tape newspaper over the panes and be done with it. Here’s a primer on the best options to block the light, keep prying eyes at bay, or just dress up the joint.

For many types and brands of window treatments, it really pays to shop around. We report here costs quoted to Checkbook’s undercover shoppers when they sought prices for several types of window treatments at a sampling of local stores and online outlets.